Admissions — Undergraduate Programs

All undergraduate programs, with the exception of the RN-Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, require applicants to have graduated from an accredited public or private high school, have passed a GED examination or provide proof of completion of a GED equivalent, or have completed a state-approved high school diploma through home schooling. Applicants must have completed high school with an average grade of “C” or better, have a standard 2.0 or better for GED applicants or show college credit with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for admission to an undergraduate degree program. Applicants who do not meet the cumulative grade point standard may be allowed to enroll as a (CE) student and take specific introductory coursework. If the coursework is completed with a 2.5 or better, the applicant may reapply to the desired undergraduate program.

Note*Please see the RN-BSN program information for details about additional program specific admission requirements.

Acceptance into undergraduate degree programs is provisional until six credits of courses in the program of study are successfully completed with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better and all admissions requirements have been met. At that time, a determination is made regarding advancement to matriculated status. A lower grade-point average may result in dismissal or academic probation, at the discretion of the College.

In determining accreditation, Saint Joseph’s College uses the publication Accredited Institutions of Post-secondary Education by the American Council on Education (ACE) published in consultation with the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Applicants who have attended a foreign institution must have their transcripts evaluated by a member institution of the National Association of Credential Evaluator Services (NACES) to determine accreditation equivalency and transferability of credits. Canadian nurses will be managed on a case by case basis.

Applicants with no prior college course work must submit a high school transcript. Applicants who have completed college course work need not submit a high school transcript but must submit official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended.

Most undergraduate programs allow applicants to enroll in course work prior to program acceptance. In those cases, applicants may enroll in a maximum of two courses prior to being evaluated and accepted into a degree program.

Prerequisites

In some instances, courses in the undergraduate degree programs at Saint Joseph’s College will have prerequisites which must be completed prior to enrolling in the specific course. Unless other­wise specified, prerequisites may be transferred, completed through Saint Joseph’s, or fulfilled by satisfactory CLEP or DANTES proficiency examination scores. When using actual courses for prerequisites fulfillment, students may only use course work passed with grades of “C” or better. See specific program for prerequisites requirements.

Transfer Credits

Saint Joseph’s College Online values prior formal learning and career-based experiences. The College follows the American Council on Education guidelines in granting transfer credit. Transfer credits may include:

Courses of study from accredited colleges or universities, with a grade of “C” or better, examinations through CLEP, ACT/PEP and DANTES DSST programs (the maximum number of semester-hour credits which may be challenged and transferred is 30);

ACE/PONSI approved credit;

ACE-approved military training and experience credits.

Undergraduate students may submit a portfolio demonstrating experiential learning to challenge a specific course. Guidelines are available from Saint Joseph’s College Online, Enrollment Services, at 800-343-5498 or 207-893-7800. The maximum number of credits that may be awarded by portfolio process is: Baccalaureate Degree: 18 credits Associate Degree: 9 credits Certificate 6 credits

At the undergraduate level, transfer credit is awarded for appropriate coursework taken at hospital-based Schools of Nursing and hospital-based Schools of Radiologic Technology. Transfer credit is not awarded for pre-collegiate level or remedial coursework.

Saint Joseph’s College is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) Degree Network System (DNS), a subset of SOC Consortium member institutions selected by the military services to deliver specific associate and bachelor’s degree programs to servicemembers and their families. As a member of the DNS, we have agreed to adhere to academic policies intended to support military students in their academic endeavors towards degree completion. Saint Joseph’s College is currently approved for membership in SOCAD and SOCNAV at the bachelor’s degree level. See Military and Veterans.

At the undergraduate level, students must complete a minimum of 25% of the course requirements at Saint Joseph’s College in order to meet degree requirements:

Baccalaureate Degree:

128 credits; minimum of 32 credits at SJC required

Associate Degree:

66 credits; minimum of 16 credits at SJC required

For transfer credit review, official transcripts must be sent directly from the credit-granting institution to Enrollment Services, Saint Joseph’s College Online, 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, ME 04084. Proficiency examination score reports must be sent directly from the testing service to Enrollment Services, Saint Joseph’s College Online.

Note:

STATE AUTHORIZATIONS

States have long had the authority to regulate institutions offering education within each state’s boundaries, regardless of the educational modality (face-to-face, distance, other) being used. Saint Joseph’s College is authorized or exempted from authorization in all 50 states. Authorization in the state of North Carolina is pending and the “good faith effort” provisions at C.F.R. § 600.9(c)34 CF applies– check back often for updates. Please read state-specific disclosure language below.

For national information about state authorization, visit the WCET website.

Individual State Disclosure Statements

Alabama: State authorization to provide the Masters of Science in Education program related to the preparation of teachers or other P-12 school/system personnel does not indicate eligibility for an Alabama certificate. Applicants for an Alabama certificate based on reciprocity must meet Alabama’s test requirements and submit a valid, renewable professional educator certificate/license issued by another state at the degree level, grade level, and in the teaching field or area of instructional support for which an Alabama certificate is sought and for which Alabama issues a certificate. Applicants for Alabama certification in an area of administration must also document at least three years of full-time employment as an administrator in a P-12 school system(s). alsde.edu

Nursing: State approval of a program to offer Alabama licensed nurses opportunities for advanced degrees does not indicate eligibility for approval to practice as an advanced practice nurse in Alabama. Applicants for approval in Alabama are required to meet the Alabama requirements for national certification, graduation from a specific-type program for the advanced practice approval, and completion of the appropriate application. Any program offering a pre-licensure track to Alabama students shall meet the requirements of the Alabama regulations for pre-licensure programs or the graduates may not be eligible to take the national licensure examination requiured by the Alabama Board of Nursing to enter the practice. www.abn.alabama.gov

Alaska: Saint Joseph’s College Online programs and courses delivered via distance education are exempt from authorization under AS 14.48 and 20 AAC 17.015 because these courses and programs are online or distance delivered and the College does not have a physical presence in the state of Alaska.

Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board certification does not constitute an endorsement of any institution or program. Such certification merely indicates that certain criteria have been met as required under the rules and regulations implementing institutional and program certification as defined in Arkansas Code Sec. 6-61-301.

Students from the State of Georgia when confronted with a grievance situation also have the right to appeal to the office of Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, 2082 East Exchange Place, Suite 220, Tucker, GA 30084, (770) 414-3300. A Georgia student who withdraws is entitled to a refund based on the college’s refund policy or the refund policy established by the State of Georgia, whichever is more favorable to the student.

Kentucky Applicants: The Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board does not approve the Master of Science in Education programs for K-12 licensure for students in their state in the following concentrations: Educator, School Leadership, and Catholic School Leadership. Students from Kentucky should not enroll in these programs if they are seeking licensure.

Louisiana Applicants: Students from Louisiana may not enroll in the Master of Science in Education programs. Saint Joseph’s College does not currently possess national accreditation and thus must cease to offer the programs in Louisiana.

Saint Joseph’s College (“SJC”) is accredited by the Commission of Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The most recent accreditation was earned in 2012. In addition, SJC’s programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CNE) and the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB).

Licenses are renewed by the Louisiana State Board of Regents every two years. Licensed institutions have met minimal operational standards set forth by the state, but licensure does not constitute accreditation, guarantee the transferability of credit, nor signify that programs are certifiable by any professional agency or organization.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission has approved the Master of Science in Education program with the following conditions: (i) St. Joseph’s shall work directly with students enrolled in educator concentrations to secure practica opportunities, where those practica will take place in Maryland; and (ii) St. Joseph’s must explicitly articulate to students that Maryland Professional Development Schools are not obliged to accommodate practica opportunities for students enrolled in out-of-state institutions and that this may affect their ability to secure said practica.

Saint Joseph’s College is registered to enroll Maryland students in the fully online distance education programs approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The Commission’s registration of the University’s fully online programs is not an authorization of the institution to operate in Maryland or an approval or endorsement of the University’s programs.

For student complaints: Complaints by Maryland students are subject to investigation of complaints by the Office of the Attorney General of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, 6 North Liberty Street, 10th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21210. 410-767-3301.

Massachusetts Applicants: Massachusetts students in the MSED Program seeking initial certification should contact the Massachusetts Department of Education here or here for possible additional requirements beyond those fulfilled with the completion of the master’s degree from Saint Joseph’s College.

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.

New York pre-licensure and NP educational tracks Nursing Students need to be approved by the Board of Nursing. Nursing education and administration tracks do NOT need approval.

The Ohio Educator Standards Board does not approve the Master of Science in Education programs for K-12 licensure for students in their state in the following concentrations: Educator, School Leadership, and Catholic School Leadership. Students from Ohio should not enroll in these programs if they are seeking licensure.

Students from Ohio may enroll in the following Master of Science in Education programs in the following concentrations: Adult Education and Training and Health Care Educator. The focus of these two fine programs is directed at adult learners. Neither of these programs requires post-degree licensure.

Texas Applicants: In accordance with the State of Texas, the State of Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Rule 1.110-112, Saint Joseph’s College is required to disclose to new students from Texas the following regarding Student Complaints:

A copy of the student grievance policy and appropriate forms may be obtained by contacting an Academic Advisor, or by mail at 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, ME 04084. The link this policy can be found in the student handbook on pages 46-47: http://www.sjcme.edu/files/sjcme_files/docs/studenthandbk.pdf

Students should follow the Saint Joseph’s College’s complaint process before pursuing other paths.

The web address for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Student Complaints page with forms and a description of the compliant procedure can be found at:

State of Washington Applicants: Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and meets the requirements and minimum educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes Saint Joseph’s College of Maine to offer field placement components for specific degree programs. The Council may be contacted for a list of currently authorized programs. Authorization by the Council does not carry with it an endorsement by the Council of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Council at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430.

Admission — Graduate Programs

All graduate programs, with the exception of the Master of Science in Nursing program, require applicants to have a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher learning, regionally or nationally accredited as accepted in the United States with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants who do not meet the cumulative grade point standard may be allowed to enroll as a (CE) student and take specific introductory coursework. If the coursework is completed with a 3.0 or better, the applicant may reapply to the desired graduate program.

Note*Please see the Master of Science in Nursing program information for details about additional program specific admission requirements.

Acceptance into graduate programs is provisional until six credits of courses in the program of study are successfully completed with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and all admissions requirements have been met. At that time, a determination is made regarding advancement to matriculated status. A lower grade-point average may result in dismissal or academic probation, at the discretion of the College.

In determining accreditation, Saint Joseph’s College uses the publication Accredited Institutions of Post-secondary Education by the American Council on Education (ACE) published in consultation with the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Applicants who have graduated with a foreign bachelor’s degree equivalent must have their transcripts evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluator Services (NACES), and the degree must be deemed equivalent to a degree at an accredited institution. Canadian nurses will be managed on a case by case basis.

Applicants must provide official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions, and graduate transcripts for courses in curriculum-related areas. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the transmitting institution(s). Transcripts and any additional supporting documentation must be received in order to implement the evaluation process. Once all official transcripts and supporting materials have been received, a decision regarding acceptance will be made, appropriate courses will be determined, and the applicant will be notified immediately of acceptance. See specific program for any additional required documentation.

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Enrollment Services, Saint Joseph’s College Online, 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, ME 04084.

Many graduate programs allow applicants to enroll in course work prior to program acceptance. In those cases, applicants may enroll in a maximum of two courses prior to being evaluated and accepted into a degree program .

Prerequisites

In some instances, courses in the graduate degree programs at Saint Joseph’s College will have prerequisites which must be completed prior to enrolling in the specific course. Unless other­wise specified, prerequisites may be transferred, completed through Saint Joseph’s, or fulfilled by satisfactory CLEP or DANTES proficiency examination scores. When using actual undergraduate courses for prerequisites fulfillment, students may only use course work passed with grades of “C” or better. See specific program for prerequisites requirements.

Transfer Credits

Saint Joseph’s College recognizes the value of previously earned academic credits within specific guidelines. For all graduate degree and certificate programs, the applicant may transfer a maximum of two, six-credit curriculum-related coursework, from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university, with a grade of “B” or better.

The maximum number of credits that may be awarded by transfer and/or portfolio process is:
Baccalaureate Degree: 95 semester-hour credits
Associate Degree: 48 semester-hour credits, of which 18 must be earned through Saint Joseph’s
Certificate Program: 6 semester-hour credits

At the graduate level, it is Saint Joseph’s College policy that credit can not be created and must be transferred from another accredited college or university or one deemed equivalent by a NACES member organization. Graduate transfer credit will not be awarded for undergraduate coursework or graduate courses that had been used previously to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements.

For transfer credit review, a photocopy of the catalog course description(s) should be sent to Enrollment Services, Saint Joseph’s College Online, 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, ME 04084.

International Students

International applicants must submit, in English, certified copies of their secondary school transcript from their home country or certified copies of their post-secondary course work, in addition to the requirements for regular admission. They must also submit an external transcript evaluation from an authorized agency and a satisfactory score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). An applicant, whose primary language is not English, must provide copies of TOEFL test scores directly from the testing service for admission. A minimum score of 485 or higher for the paper-based version or 161 for the computer-based version is required for undergraduate applicants. Graduate applicants must submit minimum scores of 550 for the paper-based version or 213 for the computer-based version of the exam. The TOEFL requirement is waived for applicants who submit proof of graduation from an English-speaking Institution, which is either accredited or deemed equivalent by the evaluating agency.

Note* RN-BSN and MSN applicants- Please see International Nursing requirements within program information